Greatest Reward
by whiteplums76
Summary: An important event summons Nowaki back to America, but when Hiro-san forgets, he leaves alone. Will a young man Nowaki meets in America tear the two apart or will Hiro-san open his eyes in time? Not a very long story, but I hope it makes an impact to the heart. Please enjoy.
1. I - Forgetful

**Hiroki & Nowaki**_**  
>GREATEST REWARD<strong>_**  
><strong>

**I – Forgetful**

_PING PING_

'Ladies and gentlemen, we are about twenty minutes from our destination; please place all seats in an upright position, fasten seat belts and turn off all electronic devices. The flight attendants will be around once more to collect any trash you may have; the temperature is a nice 75 degrees so I hope you enjoy your stay. Thank you for flying with our airline.'

He reached inside his pocket and removed the phone; he glanced at the screen one final time hoping it would tell him something, but it didn't. The screen remained blank. Holding onto the power button, he watched as the screen went black; as he replaced the device, the flight attendant leaned over with a smile asking him if he had any garbage he needed throwing away. He smiled and shook his head, unable to speak at this moment.

Once she moved on, he rested his elbow on the armrest and continued to face the outside; he watched the clouds as they passed his window. As they drifted past, his mind began to do the same.

_He folded his shirt and placed it neatly inside the suitcase; with hands on his hips, he stared inside the cocoon wondering what he forgot. He snapped his fingers and ran inside the large closet; a pair of slippers given to him for his birthday were still sitting in their package. He removed the shoes and placed them in the corner; satisfied, he continued with his task._

_Once done, he went downstairs; as he neared the kitchen, he heard the sound of typing. He smiled as he entered; Hiroki was once again sitting at the table, his favorite coffee mug to one side. His thin glasses were sliding down his face as he concentrated on the screen; Nowaki passed his form, touching his neck slightly. Hiroki made no move, but he did make a sound._

"_I don't know what else you want to take Hiro-san." Nowaki mentioned as he grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator._

"_Take?" Hiroki asked without looking up; he picked up his mug and took a sip._

"_To America." Nowaki watched him. "Hiro-san?"_

"_Let me finish this Nowaki." Hiroki waved his hand absently in the air._

"_Hiro-san, you do remember we're leaving tomorrow right?" Nowaki sat beside him._

"_Hmm."_

"_Hiro-san!" Nowaki slammed the lid of the computer down nearly missing Hiroki's fingers._

"_Wha?" Stunned, Hiroki removed his glasses and glared at Nowaki. "Why'd you do that?" He pushed his hand from the computer and opened it swiftly. "I need to finish this."_

"_I'm trying to talk to you."_

"_What is it?"_

"_The trip."_

"_What trip?" Hiroki continued to type._

_Nowaki sighed. "You forgot again?"_

_Hiroki faced him, annoyance written all over his face. "I don't know what…"_

"_The graduation…the award. In America?" Hiroki shrugged._

_Frustrated, Nowaki quickly got to his feet and bounded from the kitchen._

"_NOWAKI!" Hiroki shouted as he ran after him; he managed to catch up to him on the stairs. "I don't know what you're talking about."_

_Nowaki faced him quickly. "You never know! Your nose is always in the computer."_

"_I'm doing my work."_

"_And you can't stop for a second to listen to me?'_

"_Nowaki…what is this about?"_

_Nowaki answered by continuing up the stairs; Hiroki followed close behind. When he reached their bedroom he found a large suitcase open on the bed; Nowaki was standing near an open dresser, his large frame tottering over it. His arms were crossed and his eyes were lowered angrily._

_Hiroki held his arm toward the case. "Where are you going?"_

_Nowaki, unfolding his arms, threw his hands out; Hiroki watched as a small pamphlet landed on the bed. He slowly retrieved it._

"_Internship graduation at St. Mark's." He looked up in confusion. "You're not an intern anymore."_

"_Keep reading."_

_He did. "Dean of Medicine will introduce award to one…" Hiroki stopped, shame filling him. "Nowaki…I'm…"_

"_Sorry right?" He stepped forward. "I've heard that a million times already. How could you forget about this Hiro-san? This was something important to me."_

"_Work's been…"_

"_It's always work. Should I assume you didn't get the tickets either?"_

"_Tickets." Hiroki whispered as he looked away; he ran a hand through his hair._

"_Fine…whatever." Nowaki rushed past him; when Hiroki tried to stop him, Nowaki snatched his arm away. _

_They glared at one another for a while before Nowaki headed out._

He returned later that day with his plane ticket; he was lucky they still had a seat left. Instead of staying at the house that night, Nowaki chose to sleep at the airport hotel until his flight the next morning; before he boarded, he tried calling Hiroki, but only received voicemail. He left several messages hoping he would return them, but he never did.

"How could he forget…again?" He whispered to himself as the ground came into view.

Closing the window shutter, he leaned back in his seat and waited until the plane landed.

**When he was told he was being presented with an award for his work at the children's hospital during his internship, he was stunned; he rushed home and told Hiro-san. The joy on his lovers' face made his heart soar; later that night, they went out to celebrate, all the while talking about the sights they would see since Hiroki has never been to America.

"I'll buy the plane tickets…it's the least I could do." Hiro-san volunteered happily.

All of that was on his mind as he entered the terminal; he checked his watch with the one stationed inside. Stopping near a bench, he adjusted the settings; once he was finished, he made his way further into the terminal. He was told someone would be there to pick him up; his eyes were tired as he roamed the crowded area. In the far distance, he noticed a young man sitting on the floor; his long blonde hair, tied in a ponytail, was limply hanging over his shoulder. His thin frames were precariously teetering on the bridge of his nose; the sight reminded him of Hiro-san.

By reflex, he approached the sleeping individual. When he was close enough, he spotted a large poster lying in his lap; when Nowaki leaned over to read it, he realized this person was looking for him.


	2. II - Meeting

**II – Meeting **

Nowaki slowly squatted in front of the man; he reached out and tapped his shoulder. With a grunt, the young man blinked several times before lifting his head. His eyes squinted as he tried to adjust to the person stationed so close to him; he pushed his frames further up his nose before getting to his feet.

Nowaki followed. "I think you may be looking for me." Nowaki pointed to the poster; the young man glanced at it and smiled with embarrassment. Nowaki found himself smiling. "Were you waiting here long?"

"Sorry about that." He adjusted his wrinkled clothing. "I'm usually up by this hour; didn't have my coffee." Nowaki, still smiling, just nodded. "I'm Tyler Hartman, an intern at St. Mark's…my final year actually."

Nowaki took his offered hand into his and shook. "I'm Nowaki Kusama."

"I figured as much." They released hands. "Again, I'm sorry about sleeping on the job."

"No big deal."

"The dean asked me to meet you. He would have done it himself, but he had other matters to attend to."

"I was honored he thought of me."

They started walking.

"Do you have any bags?" Tyler asked after some time.

"Just one."

"Okay. Uh, why don't you grab it and I'll meet you outside; sounds like a plan?"

"Sure."

"Alright."

Nowaki watched as Tyler hurried away; he wondered why he was so nervous. Putting it out of his mind, Nowaki found the appropriate baggage claim number; while he waited for his bag to appear, he removed his phone and booted it up. Once the device was on, he realized no calls were made to him; disappointment once again filled him as he replaced it into his pocket.

He found Tyler parked at the curb leaning against a car. A phone was stuck to his ear and he looked angry; Nowaki walked out and although there was noise coming from everywhere, he could still make out Tyler's angry conversation.

"But I sent it in this morning….what do you mean you lost it?" He glanced up at Nowaki; he pasted on a fake smile as he walked some distance from him.

"Come on you have to have it." Tyler sighed. "Fine…thanks." He closed the phone, pulling on his ponytail in the process.

"Something wrong?"

Tyler turned, finding Nowaki right behind him; his pasted smile grew wider. "Just dandy."

"What is it?'

For some reason, the tenderness in Nowaki's eyes made him want to talk.

"They lost your reservation….I'm sorry."

"Oh."

"Yeah and now the dean is gonna have my ass because of it; I mean, it's not my fault. I made it days ago."

"Do you have a confirmation number?"

"Of course, I'm not an idiot."

"Sorry." Nowaki held up his hands in surrender. "Is there no way to get a room?"

"They're booked. Oh man." He grabbed a handful of hair.

Nowaki, for some reason, smiled. "I'll talk to the dean if it'll help the situation."

Tyler watched him, taking notice of the small smile curving his thick lips; he lowered his hands and found himself calming.

"Thanks. In the meantime, I need to find you a place to stay." He walked over to the car and popped the trunk. "Let's get out of here first."

Nowaki obeyed.

**Nowaki kept his eyes glued to the passing scenery as Tyler drove; he was feeling guilty for just leaving Hiro-san, but he was angry. This was an important event for him and Hiro-san just forgot…again; it made Nowaki think his 6 year boyfriend didn't care about him.

"Mr. Kusama?"

Surprised he was being addressed, Nowaki faced his driver. "Huh?"

"If it's alright, I could offer my place to stay."

"Oh." Nowaki's voice was quiet. "I don't know if…"

"Just until I find a decent hotel for you; you look kind of out of it. I just thought you would like to rest first."

"Well," Nowaki absently rubbed his pants legs. "That'll be nice…thanks."

"It must have been a long flight huh?"

"Hmm."

"I've never been to Japan myself; always wanted to go. Just need the money." His laugh was nervous. "How did you end up interning in America anyway?"

"Uh, I found their programs more suited to what I was trying to study and so…I came here."

"Just like that? Wow, that was brave of you."

"Brave?"

"Well yeah, moving to a foreign land…leaving those you love behind; must have been very hard."

Nowaki looked down, seeing a past memory. "Yeah…it was."

"What about now?" Nowaki turned in his direction. "Is your family arriving later?"

"Uh no, I uh…don't have…any family."

Tyler looked at him strangely. "No family…not even a sweetheart?"

Nowaki paused for a minute; Tyler, sensing he crossed a line faced forward.

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean…" Tyler started.

"It's okay…Tyler. I…do have a sweetheart, but…they couldn't make it. Work."

"Oh, sorry about that."

"They're my only family." He whispered.

Tyler made no comment; still feeling he may have crossed a line, he decided to switch topics.

"If I'm talking too much just let me know okay." He added.

Nowaki, confused about this person, looked at him.

"My sister says I have a tendency to ramble, so…if I am…just say so."

A corner of Nowaki's mouth curved upward. "Sure…no problem."

**After some time, Tyler pulled off an exit that lead into a suburban area; Nowaki kept his nose glued to the window as the sight of two story homes passed the window. Yards were a bright green, some children were playing outside; an elderly man was sitting outside in a bright lawn chair with a can in his hand. He was wearing a straw hat and his head was drooping low; Nowaki smiled as he watched others playing with pets.

"This is nice." He commented absently.

"Yeah, if you like this kind of thing."

Nowaki faced him. "You don't?"

Tyler shrugged. "I like it sometimes."

"If you don't like it why do you live here?"

"I stay with my sister and her family; can't afford to live on my own just yet."

"You prefer the city?" Nowaki asked as the car slowed.

Tyler pulled into the lot of a large two story house; the tires made a crunching noise as it rode over the gravel. Before them was a closed garage door; Nowaki could see several brightly colored toys littering the green grass. A large porch wrapped around the house; there was a small two seated table situated near the corner.

"I don't know yet." Tyler spoke. "I guess my mind could change later on."

Nowaki watched this strange young man; Tyler was still sitting in the car, his hands flat in his lap. From his vantage point, Tyler appeared sad.

"Are you okay?" Nowaki finally braved.

Tyler faced him slowly; his glasses creating a slight glimmer from the sun. "I'm cool." He hooked his hand inside the door knob. "Come on."

Nowaki got out and retrieved his bag; Tyler was already at the door opening it. When Nowaki finally reached him, he stepped over the threshold and was overcome at how spacious it was. Tyler watched his expression curiously.

"Is it spacious like this?" Tyler asked; when Nowaki faced him he continued. "Your house."

"It's good enough for us."

"You and your sweetheart?"

"Yeah."

Tyler moved further into the house; Nowaki followed.

"The kitchen's through there." He pointed to a closed double door. "She keeps it closed for some reason; upstairs are the bedrooms obviously. Go down the hall and make a right, you'll come to the guest room; you can sleep there for now."

"Thanks."

Sitting in the middle of the room was a large L-shaped dark sofa; Tyler sat in the middle, almost disappearing in the cushions. Instead of heading to the guest room to rest, Nowaki joined him, but sat some distance from him. He placed his suitcase beside his feet and leaned forward.

"Tyler?"

"Yeah?" He didn't face him.

"What's the matter?"

Tyler rested his head on the cushions behind him; he stared at the ceiling taking in small breaths.

"My brother in law wants me out."

"What?"

"I overheard him and my sister talking; said I've stayed here long enough. Once I graduate, he expects me gone."

"What about your sister?"

"She's fighting for me…as always." He sat up, leaning onto his elbows as well. "It's not like I wanted to stay here, but…"

"Did you have any friends you could stay with…maybe the dorm?"

"No. Most of my friends chose to live in the dorms; I couldn't afford it anymore."

"What about your parents…other family members?"

"Everyone's scattered; I went to school here so I could be closer to my sister…Jordan."

"That's her name?" When Tyler nodded Nowaki smiled.

"We were always close growing up; she was the first person who actually liked me for me."

"That's nice."

Tyler got to his feet, walking over to a nearby table littered with pictures. Nowaki watched him as he picked one up.

"When I first saw her family, I…"

"Wait…saw her family?" Nowaki asked curiously.

"Yeah…I was adopted."

The news surprised Nowaki, but he made no comment.

"Anyway," Tyler went on. "When they came to the orphanage, I was playing outside alone." He placed the picture down and returned to his seat. "When I was little, I had this condition; the other kids didn't want to play with me so I was left alone mostly. When I got better, it didn't matter; they still treated me like I had the plague or something. Anyway, Jordan came out and talked with me; she held my hand, laughed with me and played. After that day, her family kept coming back."

"For you?"

"Yeah. I didn't know it at the time; I thought, why would they want to adopt…they had a kid."

"Did you ever ask them?"

"Not until later; they couldn't have anymore so…" Nowaki nodded. "Jordan and I were inseparable; she was very protective of me….she still is."

"I'm sure things will work out."

"I guess."

"If her husband doesn't want you here, what makes you think he'll approve of me being here?"

"I'll find you a place to stay way before he gets home Mr. Kusama."

Both stood to their feet.

"Thanks and you can just call me Nowaki."

"Your name means typhoon doesn't it?"

"Yeah."

Tyler's smile was crooked. "Well, typhoon guy; the invitation to rest is still open. I need to get on the phone and see about finding you a place to stay."

Nowaki laughed. "Thanks." He grabbed his bag and proceeded forward. "Just down the hall?"

"Yeah…can't miss it."

Tyler watched him until he disappeared. _He's cute…shame he has a girlfriend_. He thought to himself.


	3. III - Regret

**III – Regret **

The ceiling was a kaleidoscope of lines and cracks; he always liked this kind of effect, but now he just found it depressing. The cracks reminded him of how he felt right now; he closed his eyes, attempting to rest. He didn't know how tired he was until his head hit the pillow; the guest room was fairly large by his standards. It was set up with no particular person in mind; just a bed and a few scattered dressers. There was a writing desk near a small window; he glanced over to it and for some strange reason saw Hiro-san sitting there at his computer once more.

He made a noise and returned his gaze back to the ceiling; it wasn't long before his eyes began to close. They were closed for a second before he felt and then heard the low buzzing of his phone; still in his front pocket, he reached down and retrieved it. The display photo was that of an unhappy Hiro-san; he flipped it open and pressed it to his ear. He remained quiet.

"Nowaki…you there?" Hiroki spoke into the silence. "Yeah well, I guess you're listening otherwise the phone wouldn't have picked up."

Silence.

"I know I've said it before," Hiroki continued. "But I'm sorry; the dean threw this new project on my desk and I needed to get it done. I'm on a deadline."

Hiroki waited for a response, but still Nowaki said nothing.

"Would you please talk to me?" Hiroki asked softly.

Hearing the pain in his voice prompted Nowaki to speak, but as he opened his mouth a loud knock came to the door; without waiting, it was swung open and Tyler burst through the room screaming.

"I FOUND A HOTEL!"

Nowaki sat up stunned at the intrusion.

"What…who was that?" Hiroki asked, his voice holding suspicion.

Nowaki threw his legs over the side, gripping the phone tightly. "Hiro-san…"

"Oh now you can speak?" Hiroki stated before disconnecting.

"HIRO-SAN…HIRO-SAN!" Nowaki threw the phone across the room; he ran his hands through his hair.

Tyler, regretful, watched the tall stranger. _Hiro-san?_ He thought.

"Mr. Kusama….I'm really sorry for…" Tyler began. He watched as Nowaki fell back onto the bed; he placed both arms over his eyes. "Mr. Kusama?"

"Now he's going to be suspicious." Nowaki commented from his position.

Tyler was a bit confused; was this Hiro-san his….sweetheart?

"I didn't mean to barge in like that." Tyler stated. "I was just glad I found you a place." He watched Nowaki; he still remained flat on the bed. "I hope I didn't…ruin anything with your…boyfriend?"

His last word brought Nowaki's arms down; he stared at Tyler curiously. Strangely, he smiled as he righted himself.

"You look surprised that I have a boyfriend." Nowaki stated as he went to retrieve his broken phone.

"I am." He watched as Nowaki picked up the small pieces. "I just assumed you were…you know…straight."

Once he had all the pieces, he faced Tyler. "I guess it's something you don't just come out and ask huh?"

"I guess not."

"Is that a problem for you?" Nowaki threw the debris into a trash can sitting under another window.

"No….I'm gay too actually." He found his insides jumping for some reason.

Nowaki smiled shyly.

"So I guess I better get you to that hotel." Tyler began, attempting to disengage from Nowaki's glare. "It's really nice too Mr. Kusama."

"I thought we agreed you would call me Nowaki?" He picked up his bag.

Tyler stared at him, overcome by his stature; when Nowaki smiled, Tyler found himself melting.

"Right…sorry….Nowaki."

"That's better."

**He could hear the insistent knocking of his leg against the table; looking back, he watched his hunched figure. Hiroki was leaning over his computer, one leg aggressively attacking the leg of a table; he could hear him mumbling to himself in angry tones.

"Kamijou…if you need some help…" Miyagi offered.

"Who said I needed help?" Hiroki screamed without turning.

Miyagi held up his arms in surrender. "I'm just offering my expertise; you seem to be…put out."

Hiroki swung around quickly; his leg came in contact with the table, causing it to shift. He had to catch his computer before it hit the floor.

"Just concentrate on your own work Miyagi." Hiroki got up and walked toward the coffee maker; as he refilled his mug, his mind returned to his brief conversation.

_Who the hell was that in the background?_ He asked himself. _Hotel? Were they going together?_

"Uh…Kamijou?" Hiroki, the thought fading, faced Miyagi. "You might want to watch yourself."

Hiroki realized Miyagi was pointing in his direction; when he looked down, he found that his mug was overflowing with coffee.

"SHIT!" Hiroki quickly backed up, placing the mug on the table in the process; he turned angry eyes on Miyagi when the teacher started laughing.

"I guess that means the coffee's cold huh Kamijou?"

Angered and embarrassed, Hiroki stormed from the office, almost slipping on the coffee in the process; he made his way to the bathroom.

He ran the faucet as he took in the damage to his clothes; his pants legs and shirt were stained horribly. He knew there was no way he could salvage it; he would have to return home.

In the meantime, he stayed in the bathroom trying to compose himself; he watched as the water swirled around the sink. His anger was disappearing, but it was soon replaced with guilt again.

_I should have remembered._ He thought sadly.

He lifted his eyes and stared at himself in the mirror. _He doesn't ask for much and yet…_

Hiroki placed both hands over his reflection and closed his eyes. "You're an idiot Hiro-san."

"It was just an accident."

Surprised, Hiroki found he wasn't alone; Miyagi was stationed by the door, his arms crossed.

Hiroki ignored him. "I need to go home." He stated as he turned off the faucet. "Then I'm taking a few days off."

"Hey look, I won't tell anyone what…"

"It's not that." He faced the teacher. "I did a dumb thing to Nowaki." He looked down. "More than dumb."

"Oh?" Miyagi watched him curiously. "What about the project?"

"I'll talk to the dean."

Miyagi laughed. "Good luck with that; you know how he is."

Hiroki didn't care at the moment; he wanted to make it up to Nowaki.

"Do what you have to Kamijou." Miyagi found himself saying.

Hiroki watched him; Miyagi pretended to be preoccupied with something on his finger. Hiroki smiled at the man before exiting.


	4. IV - Surprise

**IV – Surprise **

The day of the ceremony arrived quickly; after his last conversation with Hiro-san, Nowaki tried to connect with him with no success. The Dean of Medicine for St. Mark's met with Nowaki later that day; after checking into his room, Tyler informed him that the dean wanted to have a sit down with him. Nowaki was invited to dinner.

During the dinner, Nowaki kept his phone turned off; when the evening was finally over, he stepped into his room and immediately checked his phone. There were several messages from Hiro-san:

_Call me when you get a chance….I had a break from this project, just wanted to talk….guess you're really busy….hope this won't be like the last time….Nowaki, if you're still upset…_

The final message tapered off in silence until the line disconnected; that one came in just as he was returning to his room. Nowaki clicked onto Hiro-san's number and waited. There was a large window in his room; the drapes were open, giving him a beautiful view of the city lights. He sadly watched the lights dance as he listened to the phone ringing. When Hiroki's voicemail picked up, he listened to the message, but didn't leave one himself; he disconnected the line, but continued to stare out the window.

Nowaki showered and threw on a cotton robe the hotel offered; instead of going to bed right away, he ordered some tea. When it arrived, he stationed the cart near the window and turned off the lights; he pulled a chair over and tried to enjoy both. Unfortunately, a soft knock interrupted his quiet time; sighing, he got to his feet, making sure his robe was securely tied. He checked the spyhole and was surprised to find Tyler on the other end; he opened the door.

"I'm sorry to bother you Nowaki, but…"

"It's kind of late Tyler."

"I know and I'm sorry." Tyler felt his mouth go dry as he stared at Nowaki; his robe was opened at the nape exposing his defined collarbone. Tyler could smell a hint of something floral and his hair still appeared wet.

"Come in." Nowaki offered as he stood aside; Tyler slowly made his way in. "I was just about to have some tea…you want some?"

"Thanks." Tyler followed him over to the seat; he looked at the city. "Wow, this is nice."

Nowaki chuckled as he poured tea into another cup. "I should be thanking you for this view." He offered Tyler the cup as they both sat. Tyler caught a glimpse of Nowaki's upper thigh.

Tyler, feeling his cheeks burn, quickly sipped the tea. "This is good…what is it?"

"Genmaicha tea." Nowaki replied. "It's a combination of green tea and roasted brown rice; it's often referred to as popcorn tea."

Tyler smiled. "Popcorn?"

"During the roasting process, some of the grains end up popping."

Tyler rotated his cup, enjoying the look and smell of the golden liquid. "Cool. I've never had green tea before; at least not like this." He sipped once more. "Japanese culture is very interesting."

"That can be said for all cultures."

"I guess." Tyler stated before replacing his mug.

"You don't find your culture interesting?"

Tyler shrugged, but didn't reply.

Nowaki finished his tea and went back for more; when he offered Tyler some he declined.

"The dean kept you out late huh?" Tyler finally mentioned as he stared outside.

"He likes to talk." Nowaki's comment was in good humor. "But he is a good man."

"Yeah. I like him a lot; he stood up for me several times."

"You had a hard time in school?"

"Yeah."

Nowaki stared at him. "Because of your lifestyle?"

"What?" Tyler turned his attention to him; Nowaki's legs were crossed. His cup and saucer were sitting on his knee; his eyes were lowered in concern. Tyler had to avert his eyes.

"No, I was just…slow you know. Never was that smart; not like the others. Classmates would pick on me for it; when I started interning at St. Mark's it was worse. I would get diagnoses wrong, prescribe the incorrect medication."

"That's kind of serious."

"I know." Tyler's reply was a bit aggressive, but Nowaki kept silent. "I was trying."

"What kind of medicine are you studying?"

"Pathology. Ever since I was little, I always knew I wanted to help those with unusual diseases."

"Like yourself?" Tyler nodded. "That's the reason why I went into pediatrics; since being orphaned, I wanted to help other kids."

Tyler produced a small smile; unconsciously, he started rubbing the tops of his legs. "I read up on you; when I found out you were being awarded."

Nowaki half-smiled, unsure about how he felt about this.

"Don't get me wrong," Tyler offered. "I would have done that for whoever; I mean, the St. Mark's award is something special you know."

"I'll take your word for it." Nowaki placed his tea down. "Listen, I'm getting pretty tired." He stood. Tyler watched his movements, but remained in his seat. "Tomorrow's a big day." He tried to smile, but found it forced.

"I guess." Tyler slowly stood. "Thanks for listening."

Nowaki walked him to the door; when it stood open, Tyler stood on the other side, his hands deep in his pockets.

"I'll be by around seven." Tyler began. "The dean wants to take you to breakfast."

"Sounds good."

"I won't be there myself; I have to finish up some paperwork before graduation."

"Okay. The dean must trust you very much."

"Like I said…he's looked out for me."

They stared at one another.

"Well, good night Tyler." Nowaki smiled.

As Nowaki made to close the door, Tyler quickly moved forward and kissed him; he pulled back and smiled. "Good night Nowaki."

**He didn't know which hotel he was staying at so he decided to register at one close to the school; when he entered the lobby, he found the place overrun with people. There were white coats and large suitcases everywhere; he was thankful he didn't bring a lot of stuff as he made his way over to the counter.

As he waited in line, he glanced around the place; people both young and old were hugging or taking pictures with at least one or two people sporting white coats. St Mark's was a large medical center that worked alongside St. Mark's School of Medicine; for some strange reason he felt out of place. He was an academic, not a medical professional; he sometimes wondered why Nowaki was with him.

"Sir?"

Hiroki realized he was holding up the line; he moved forward to a bored male receptionist.

"Name please." He asked without looking up.

"Oh, I don't have a reservation; I was hoping I…"

"Sorry, but we're all booked…NEXT!" He screamed over Hiroki's shoulder.

"But…" He was unable to finish his statement when a large man shoved him aside; Hiroki kept his anger in check. "Is anything available in the area?"

"Not sure sir, but you can check the listings." The receptionist pointed to a thick volume sitting near the corner; Hiroki maneuvered to it and started thumbing through the pages.

Tired of being on his feet, Hiroki decided to take a seat; near a large window, he found a cluster of soft chairs. Thankfully, one was vacant; he took the book and walked over to the area. The noise inside the lobby was massive, making it impossible for him to talk on the phone; he closed the book and leaned his head back on the cushion. He closed his eyes for a fraction until a vibration brought them open; when he realized it was Nowaki he made his way outside.

"Nowaki?"

"Hiro-san…where are you? All that noise."

"I should ask you the same."

"I'm heading off with the Dean; waiting for my ride." Nowaki was sitting outside the hotel waiting for Tyler; he was still apprehensive about the kiss last night.

"I was just…" Nowaki began.

'SIR!"

Nowaki, hearing the voice, grew curious. "Who was that?"

"Hang on." Hiroki covered the mouth piece as the receptionist rushed outside. "What is it?"

"We have an opening if you still want a room."

Hiroki suddenly noticed how happy this man became. "Yes…thank you. Can I finish my phone call first?"

"Sure sir. Just see me when you're done." He rushed back inside.

Hiroki returned to the call. "You still there?" Hiroki waited for a response; it was silent on the other end, but he could detect voices. He plugged up one ear and tried to listen, but couldn't make out the conversation. Finally, Nowaki returned on the line.

"Hiro-san?"

"What's going on? I have something to tell you."

"Can it wait? My ride just arrived."

"Sure, I'll call you later." Hiro-san said happily.

"Okay."

"Nowa…" But the phone clicked before Hiroki could finish his statement.

**As Nowaki got to his feet, Tyler kept his eyes down; he couldn't look at him after what he did last night.

"Ready?" Nowaki asked as he headed for the waiting car. Tyler didn't respond, just followed.

The drive to the restaurant was quiet; Tyler knew he should say something, but was too afraid.

"The Dean isn't at the school today?" Nowaki asked.

"No, he's tending to last minute details. That's why he asked me to pick you up."

"I thought you had other things to do?"

"I do, but…I didn't mind doing this for him." He said quietly.

"Have you found work yet?"

"Uh not really. I just found out a lab offered me a position to study under one of their technicians in California so I'm going there; it'll give me a better understanding of the field, not to mention they have connections with other labs so I'll find work no problem."

Nowaki nodded. "Congratulations."

"Thanks."

"When do you leave?"

"In another month; my sister's kind of sad I'm leaving." He laughed nervously.

"I'm sure she is."

"Listen, Nowaki…about last night?"

"I would rather forget it Tyler."

"Yeah….sure."

The remaining car ride was quiet; Tyler was glad it was short. The Dean of medicine, a short and chubby man met them happily at the restaurant entrance. He greeted Nowaki with a large hug and waved to Tyler before heading inside.

**After checking in, Hiroki didn't know how hungry he was until his stomach grumbled; he glanced at the menu, but found nothing appealing. He wanted to venture out, but since he's never been to America he wasn't sure what was in the area; he headed downstairs and approached the now smiling receptionist.

"What can I do for you sir?"

His sunny attitude was sickening. "Could you recommend someplace to eat near here?"

"Sure." He reached under the counter and retrieved a folded yellow menu; he handed it over. "This is one of my favorite places; it's a good distance, but the majority of students go here."

"Is it quiet?"

"Not usually, but around this time it is; most of the students are getting ready for graduation. You'll love it."

"If you're sure."

"Oh totally. I can ring you a cab if you want sir."

The wait for the cab wasn't long and neither was the ride to the restaurant; the guy was right about the place being virtually quiet. When he stepped out, the doors to the restaurant were open; as he walked in, a hostess greeted him happily. She smiled when she noticed his curious expression.

"Trust me sir, this place is not always like this in the mornings."

Hiro-san smiled. "The hotel said it would be quiet around this time…graduation and all."

"Oh yeah, this is a hubbub of activity any other day; I was actually surprised to find a dean here." She retrieved a menu. "You have your choice of seats; we do have a lovely patio."

"Patio would be good."

"Excellent choice."

As he followed her through the restaurant, he noticed that the tables were covered with white tablecloths; in his mind, that meant expensive.

"Here we go."

Hiro-san was impressed by the large patio area; it was just as big as the inside. There were a few people scattered around; in the far distance, he noticed a large man on the phone gesticulating. Hiroki sat slowly as the hostess sat the menu in front of him.

"Your waiter will be with you in a moment…enjoy."

"Thanks." He stated, but she was already gone.

He opened the menu and cringed at the prices. "This is crazy." He whispered. "One plate of eggs cost more than a meal at the family restaurant Nowaki and I go to."

At the mention of his name, Hiroki thought he heard his voice; it was only a whisper, but he did hear it. He laughed at the thought as he continued to scan the menu; the further he went along, the more his stomach began to ache. He couldn't afford this.

He placed the menu face down on the table and stood; as he made a move to leave, a laugh from the distance stopped him. He turned in the direction where the portly man sat; he was now accompanied by another…a fairly tall man with short hair. His form was familiar.

If the man didn't run his hand through his hair, he would never have known. "Nowaki?" He whispered.


	5. V - Congratulations

**V – Congratulations **

Hiroki grabbed a cab that was sitting idly by the curb; part of him wanted to say hello to Nowaki, but the other part didn't feel comfortable. He was sitting talking to someone he guessed was the dean; unsure how it would look if they embraced, he didn't chance the encounter. He left quickly, almost colliding with the waiter who came to take his order; as he sat in the cab, he ordered the driver to take him to a nearby fast food restaurant. Once he had his food, he returned to the hotel; the once happy receptionist greeted him with an angry look when he noticed the paper bags.

When he was finished with his meal, Hiroki retrieved the pamphlet for the graduation; he made a note of the address and time. He was thankful he had time to sleep; not only was his meal beginning to settle, but his jet lag was also getting to him. He crawled into the soft bed and buried himself under the covers; his final thoughts before he drifted off to sleep were of Nowaki and how happy he would be to see him.

**Tyler tugged on his lab coat one final time; looking at himself in the mirror, he could see his hair was still a mess. He ran his hand along the top, trying to tame the strands standing up; he tugged on his ponytail and briefly wondered whether he should cut it. As he stared at his image, he thought about Nowaki. He had a strong attraction to him; for him, they seem to have traveled in the same direction. He wondered how strong Nowaki's feeling for this Hiro-san were; from the little he heard, he figured trust was an issue for them.

"He deserves someone who will trust him." He whispered to his reflection.

"Who?"

His eyes caught on Jordan standing in the doorway; he faced her. "Nothing."

She stepped into the room, her smile broad. "Look at you…a doctor."

Tyler laughed nervously. "Not yet." He returned to the mirror.

"Of course you are." She stood behind him attempting to straighten his collar. "Interning is just the beginning."

"Hmm."

Jordan laid her hands on his shoulders; she stared at him through the mirror. "You're gonna do great in California." She whispered.

"What if I don't?" He faced her. "I mean, what if I fail?"

Jordan could see the fear in his eyes. "Listen to me baby, you're a great doctor."

"But Jordan…"

"No buts. Stop thinking this way; mom and dad raised us to have confidence in our abilities. Not to mention your naturally caring attitude; to go into a field that helps people…I'm very proud of you. Mom and dad would be too."

Tyler found his eyes burning. "Thanks sis."

They held one another.

"Now," she pulled back. "I know that's not all you're worried about."

"I don't know what you mean." He walked over to his bed and sat down; he started to absently put on his shoes.

"You like that Kusama guy don't you?"

"What…no way. Besides, he has a boyfriend." He said quietly.

Jordan sat next to him; she bumped his shoulder with hers. "Just because someone is not available, doesn't mean you stop liking them."

"I hardly know the guy." Once his shoes were on, he sat up, but kept his eyes straight. "It's like we had the same…I don't know…life." He faced her. "He was adopted too….he went into medicine because what happened to him as a child." He held his head down staring at his fingers. "All the good ones are always taken."

"I'm sorry." He shrugged. She placed an arm around his shoulders. "You'll find someone."

"Sure."

"Come on man," she started rocking him. This brought a smile to his face. "Stop being so depressed."

"Alright, stop." He lifted his arm to untangle her; he smiled. "At least I got to kiss him."

"Ohhh…do tell."

"He's got soft lips."

"Always love those soft lips."

They laughed and continued to talk while he finished dressing.

**He shuffled his cards one final time; when he stared at the words he still didn't know why was bothering with a speech. He was sitting in the lounge area of the banquet hall; checking his watch, he realized it was almost seven. By this time, Hiro-san would either be home preparing dinner or still at work; he took out his phone, poising his finger over the call button. He stared at it for a second before closing it; he turned it off and placed it inside his pocket.

"Nowaki?"

He turned and found Tyler standing by the door; in his lab coat, he looked completely different. He found himself smiling at his own memory; this smile gave Tyler the courage to enter.

"Looks like you're ready to go." Nowaki stated as Tyler sat across from him.

"I just want it over with." Tyler held his hands between his thighs. "How's the speech coming?"

Nowaki flopped the cards on the table and leaned back; he crossed one leg over the other, laying both hands flat on his abdomen. "I may forgo it."

"I always found speeches too…unnatural personally." Nowaki made a noise. "Just say what comes to mind."

Nowaki laid one hand on the stack once more; he flipped the edges with a finger, but his eyes remained down. "Is that what you do?"

"Sometimes yeah."

"Do you act the same?" Nowaki looked up. "Do what comes to mind?"

Tyler was a bit confused by his look; he didn't know if Nowaki was angry or just curious.

"Are you talking about that kiss?" Tyler asked. "I thought you wanted to forget about it?"

"I do, but…" Nowaki stopped playing with the cards and returned his hands to his stomach. "I'm just concerned about you."

Tyler smiled. "Why?"

"I love my boyfriend…very much. We've been together for a long time."

Tyler started moving his legs around; Nowaki didn't notice. "I get that." He said quietly.

"I just didn't want you to…"

"It's okay Nowaki. I was…I guess I just…" He stopped, turning his gaze from him.

"What?"

Tyler returned his eyes. "It's like we come from the same place…orphans…medical school and all that. I felt a…connection to you that's all; it's not like I have this idea you have feelings for me." Part of him was hoping, but he knew better. "It was just something….I wanted to do; if it made you uncomfortable…I'm sorry."

"I was just surprised that's all. I don't want to hurt you."

Tyler laughed. "You're not hurting me. Like I said…I wanted to and so…I did."

The sound of music started playing in the background.

"I guess I better go." Tyler got to his feet, pulling on his coat in the process.

Nowaki stood as well. "Good luck on your studies man; I know you'll do great."

"Thanks. Hey, maybe you'll see my name in a journal one day."

Nowaki smiled. "I have no doubt."

They shook hands. When they disconnected, Nowaki decided to walk Tyler out, but as they exited the lounge area, Nowaki's eyes caught on a familiar face emerging from the restroom.

"Hiro-san?" He whispered.

Hiroki didn't notice Nowaki at first, but when he took a few steps and looked up, their eyes met.

"HIRO-SAN!"

Tyler watched with mixed emotions as Nowaki rushed toward Hiro-san; throwing his arms around a stunned Hiroki, Nowaki swung him around. Tyler had to smile at the look on the other man's face; when Nowaki finally put Hiro-san down, he cupped his face and kissed him. At first, Hiro-san struggled against the display, but then his movements stopped as he relaxed, bringing both arms around Nowaki's neck. Tyler watched them for a while before turning away.

**Hiroki could feel the wetness of his hands; he glanced in Nowaki's direction and saw a brief glimpse of fear in his eyes.

He leaned in. "Are you alright?" He whispered.

Nowaki's laugh was all nerves. "I…I've never spoken in public before."

Nowaki was glad when Hiroki gripped his hand tighter under the table. "You'll do fine."

"And now ladies, gentlemen and graduates. I want to present the St. Mark's Award of Excellence in Interning to a special guest. He came to America not too long ago to do his studies here; finding a path and making an impressive mark on his school, he paved the way for other interns. Remarkably, he had no idea the influence he made on the interns at St. Mark's.

His story is an inspiration for all, but I won't go into the details; I'll let him tell it. May I introduce, the recipient of our prestigious award...Mr. Nowaki Kusama."

The room erupted in applause; before Nowaki got to his feet, he leaned in and planted a small kiss to Hiroki's cheek. Once their hands were disengaged, Hiroki started to applaud as well; his heart swelling with pride as Nowaki made his way on stage.

First bowing to the Dean and then the audience, Nowaki took the award and proceeded to the mike; he bowed once more, holding up the award proudly. He stood there for a while until the applause died down; although the place was dark, he could still make out the faces of everyone. His nerves began to tingle, but as he scanned the room he instantly caught sight of Hiro-san; Hiro-san, a wide smile on his face held up two thumbs. He watched his lips move, proclaiming his love for him.

Nowaki smiled, feeling the sting of tears. He cleared his throat and began to speak.

_**THE END**_


End file.
